Butterflies in the Dark
by Twilit Lady of Majesty
Summary: Zelda's been murdered, and the kingdom is now Zant's. Nobody has realized the difference, except for a young girl who suspects something has gone awry. Agitha, the bug princess, decides she must find a way to stop Zant from ruining Hyrule, while keeping herself out of trouble. T FOR: alcohol references, dark themes, and death
1. Prologue

Prologue

* * *

Tall, she was. Skinny, is the definition of her body. Perfect, is what she is.

Princess Zelda strides gracefully into her throne room, rapier in hand. An attack has been rumored to occur today, but it has not been said when. It's been said that _he_ will be coming. Nobody knows who _he_ is, they just know that it's probably not good.

The princess doesn't mind the fact that she could be facing death in a matter of minutes, all that matters is that her town is safe, and the citizens go unharmed.

"Milady," one of the guards starts, he takes her by the arm, and leads her to her throne," there's been word that something's causing a disturbance in the town. It could be _him_." Zelda tenses up, swallowing nervously. This could be the end.

"Get me the largest armed force we have. Send a smaller one to escort the man to the castle."

"But, Zel- milady," the guard clears his throat," I don't think that's a wise decision." She glares at the armored man, fury growing in her eyes.

"Sir," she says, pulling her arm away from his with slight force," you heard my order. Now carry it out, or you'll be the _first_ to die." The two hold angry eye contact for a moment, and then the man is gone, rushing off to collect the soldiers.

The other armored men standing about the room turn their heads towards the princess. One in the back even opens his mouth to speak.

"Go help the man collect our soldiers," the blonde says, projecting her voice through the hall.

"Yes, milady," sounds from throughout the room. After a moment's hesitation, and a brief salute, the guards exit the room. Their footsteps resonate deep within the stone room, keeping in time with one another. Their steady beat fades into nothing.

"Dear Farore, grant me courage for this fight," Zelda mutters, dropping into her seat. Pain beings growing in her head, nothing more than a slight tingling at first.

"Guard," Zelda says, pressing two fingers to both of her temples," get me some tea." There was no response.

"Guard!" She shouts furiously, raising her head to look at nothing. The princess sighs, and shuts her eyes. Small bursts of light happen behind her eyelids, pain coming with each.

"You called, _Zelda_?" A male voice asks, his voice is distant. He must be at the other end of the room.

"Yes," she raises her eyes," sir," and her voice falters.

His sleek figure strides forward, silently, as if he's on nothing. Behind the mask of metal, small, rapid breaths can be heard, they being the only noise in the room. The figure grunts slightly, as he lurches forward, his pace quickening. The tattered robe drifts lazily behind him, the dark blue-green, and red designs playing on the seams.

His movement was graceful, and could almost be described as beautiful. The small feet belonging to the figure touch the stone beneath feet for a brief moment, before continuing to the next step.

"I've heard," he hisses, almost in a whisper," that you've been," the figure hesitates," _expecting me_."

Zelda swallows nervously, the headache pain hitting her square in the head. She forces a polite smile and looks at the figure," and who might you be?"

He continues forward, not stopping before the princess. As his feet climb the steps to her throne, Zelda presses herself against the back of the seat. She places a hand on the hilt of her rapier, and sinks below the armrests.

He moves closer, small hisses of delight floating from the helmet as he approaches. "I," he leans close, next to her ear. The metal cover in front of his mouth retracts," am Zant." Zelda nods, not holding eye contact with the creature.

"Wh-" she clears her throat," why are you here?"

He does a magnificent backflip, landing on his feet before her," I'm here," he hisses," for your _kingdom_."

Very straight forward, this thing is. Zelda shifts back to her original sitting position, and finally stands, puffing her chest out, hoping to show her defiance. "You can take me," she squeezes the hilt of her thin sword," but don't hurt my town."

"Oh my dear," Zant whispers, drifting closer to Zelda," I'm not here to hurt the citizens. I'm here, for _you_." He shifts his head closer to hers, and grazes her cheek with his lips. The princess flinches away, but he stops her with a hand.

"My dear, now is no time for romance," The man whispers. Zelda glares at the shadowy creature, and scowls. How dare this man treat her as so.

"Get out of my castle," she demands. A small giggle bubbles from Zant's mouth.

"Make me." He flips backwards, yet again, and draws a sword, almost identical to Zelda's. The figure tosses off his helmet, revealing a scrawny, blue-green head. Zelda's hand tightens around her rapier, but the princess does not advance towards her foe.

A hiss sizzles out of the creature's mouth, and he lurches forward, sword leading the way. Zelda blinks at him, and waits for him to get close. The sword skims the side of her breastplate, leaving a dull scrape where her left arm usually rests. Zelda shifts to the side, and holds dangerous eye contact with the shadow.

"Go ahead, kill me," she says, dodging his furious swipes and slashes.

"Do not _taunt_ me, _little girl,_" he hisses, bringing the sword across the princess' arm. A small gasp escapes her mouth, and her free hand instantly clamps onto the wound.

"Oh, did I _hurt_ you?" He asks, cackling soon after. Zelda grunts, rapier still clutched firmly in the hand of her wounded arm.

"I feel no pain," she barks at him, ready to dodge another attack.

"You know I'm not even trying," he laughs, flipping backwards. The princess copies his action, except with only a simple jump.

"Really?" Zelda asks, glaring at her opponent. He screams, possibly out of joy, or maybe out of anger. He flies forward, his sword flailing wildly through the air, creating invisible letters before the princess. The blade slashes through her leg, causing her to slam to the floor. Blood immediately begins to pool around the princess. The blood doesn't seem to stop draining from the gash. She stares up at Zant, eyes still host to the defiant glimmer they had at the start of this soon-to-end battle.

"There's still time to give in, _sweetheart_," he says, waltzing a circle around her.

Zelda falls to her back in agony, biting her cheek to hold in a scream. Her eyes water as the searing pain in her leg begins to num. Is blood even pouring from the massive cut anymore?

"I won't, give in," she says through clenched teeth.

This battle has boiled down to nothing. Pointless, it is. No reason to continue. Zant will overpower her, anyways.

"If that's your choice, darling," he says, approaching the princess. Black spots begin to appear in her vision, and everything begins to melt together. Zant is now only a dark smudge on the canvas of tan and scarlet. His dirtied robes creating swirls of black above the princess' blurred vision.

He does not hesitate with the final blow. A swift shot at the upper chest lands past her thin armor, and through her vital organs. Blood stains the throne room's floor, a permanent reminder of the murder committed on this day.

* * *

_A/N_

_Wow, so, this story was okay. I wrote it whilst feeling a bit down last night (and finished it up this morning). Zant was definitely out of character, but I mean, come on, who cares? You know, while I'm writing this, I've decided to make this into a chapter story. I think it'll turn out good! So guys, thanks for reading this... Prologue of sorts, the next chapter will be up soon!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	2. Pumpkin 'Tea'

Chapter One: Pumpkin 'Tea'

* * *

Bugs were everywhere. Small bugs. Big bugs. Simple bugs. Intricate bugs. And the girl loved it.

Her home was the castle to dozens of these flying, and flightless, creatures. She adored the things. They were her only friends.

"George," the bug princess says, allowing a butterfly to land on the back of her hand. It shifts its wings slowly and gracefully," where's your wife?" The butterfly remains on her hand for a moment, and then flits away in search of his female counterpart.

The wings, scrawny legs, and swirling antennae of the insects create a pointillistic work of art against the dark green backdrop of the child-constructed castle. The light blue of the males, pink for the females, and the occasional gold bug form the perfect blend of color.

The releases a yawn, stretching her arms above her head. The unstyled curly blonde locks of hair dangling before the girls face get furiously pushed to the side as she stumbles to the kitchen.

"Archibald," she calls from the tiny room stowed away at the back of her home," you want some lettuce?" A hyrulean beetle crawls out from behind a jar of old solidified chu-jelly, and wiggles it's tiny antennae in reply. The girl lets out a small giggle, and places a piece of lettuce before the bug. Odd, for a bug to be eating lettuce, but it was a favorite for hyrulean beetles.

As the girl parades around her house, feeding the small creatures, she takes note of their strange behavior. The mantises weren't up and about, the butterflies were still, even the ants were stationary. The bug princess keeps this small hint of irregularity at the back of her mind.

Today, compared to other days, her clothing choice was simple. A flamboyant, deep-red dress with golden trim, a gold colored hyrulean beetle necklace, golden ballet flats, white stockings, and a tiny gold tiara. Simple, compared to other days. She prances about before her mirror, watching the dress twist and bounce. Wonderful, this dress fits her nicely.

"Archibald! Skyla! I'm going out! Don't get into too much trouble!" She shouts, throwing the front door open," bye!" And it's shut with a slam.

* * *

"Agitha! It's quite early for you to be here, hon'," the bar owner says, dusting off the bar's cracking wood.

"I know, but I just _had_ to say good morning to you before I set off on the rest of my routine," the bug princess explains, taking her usual seat on the second to last barstool. She holds her smile, keeping her expression solid as the plump woman frowns.

"Today's 'n odd day, ya' know? Louise hasn't been feelin' to well, kinda worryin' me," she explains, pulling a bottle of milk off of the shelf behind her. She chooses a clean glass from beneath the bar, and pours the milk for Agitha.

"Thanks, Telma. And, I'm sure Louise is okay, my bugs are a bit under the weather too. Perhaps it's going to rain soon," the bug princess suggests, taking a sip of her milk. Telma won't let the ten year old have alcohol yet, for obvious reasons.

"Maybe so," the woman agrees, slightly hopeful that the child's prediction was right.

Agitha finished off her milk, and pushes the glass towards Telma," more?"

"Sure hon', right aw-"

"Lock your doors! Stay inside!" The door burst open to several guards shouting. Telma drops the bottle of milk in surprise, Agitha flinches.

"Now don't you come bargin' I here without an explanation," Telma says, marching over to the armored men.

"Ma'am, this is the princess' order. Everyone is to lock their doors, and stay quiet, until informed otherwise," the tallest one says, shooting a warning glance at the guard next to him. He shrugs.

"Well, in that case," Telma glances over her shoulder, to look at the curious child," why don't you come 'n stay awhile? You look like ya' could use a couple drinks." A smile pops onto her face, and she shifts to make way for the men.

"Ma'am, I don't think that now's the time-"

"Nonsense! Anytime is drinking time!" She says, giving a hearty laugh. Agitha snickers. Telma grabs the hand of the foremost guard and pulls him in. He turns to face the others, and gives them a warning-filled shake of the head.

"Look, we got to go, but our friend, who's already inside your bar, would be happy to stay," the chubbier guard says, smiling mischievously. He rubs the bottom of his chest plate out of habit," but we have to go finish telling the townsfolk the princess' orders."

"Great! Three's enough for a party!" Telma announces, turning to the guard who so _willingly_ decided to stay. A laugh bellows out from the group of guards, and the door slams closed. She locks the door, and turns to the guard.

"What a nice bunch," the woman says, bouncing back over to the bar. The soldier follows, eventually taking a seat next to Agitha.

"Hi, my name's Agitha," she introduces herself, extending a hand. The guard raises the metal in front of his face, revealing a stubbly chin, and fluorescent green eyes. He smiles in reply, and takes Agitha's offer for a hand shake.

"So, what's all the ruckus about?" Telma asks, leaning an elbow on the counter.

"An attack's been rumored, but for all we know, it could just be a test," the man explains, drawing invisible circles on the bar. Agitha looks at the man, slightly comforted by the fact that there's someone around to protect against this _attack_.

"Ah, an attack... You want anythin' to drink, sweetie?" She asks, turning to the wall of alcohol behind her.

The guard takes a moment to think of what he should order," an Ordon pumpkin tea, please." Telma nods, and gets to work, gathering various drinks off of the back wall. She flies about adding some of this, a little bit of that, and then the main ingredient, pumpkin juice.

"Here ya' are, hon'," she says, pushing the glass towards the guard. He nods, smiling slightly, and takes a swig of the drink.

"Can I try on your helmet?" Agitha asks, staring the soldier down. He blinks at the child.

"You sure you won't break it?" He replies, taking another sip of his 'TEA'.

"Positive," the ten year old replies, stretching out her hands. The guard removes the piece of armor, and hands it to the child," wow! This is a lot heavier than it looks!"

"Indeed," the guard agrees, turning his focus back to Telma. Agitha struggles to put the helmet on, but eventually reaches success.

"-and the others-"

"Telma! Can I go play with Louise?" Agitha asks, the ten year old side of her Makimg an appearance.

"Go right ahead, hon'. Just be careful. Now anyways, continue..."

Agitha jumps down from the stool, straightening out her dress. She crawls naively across the scuffed-up wood floors, on the prowl for the cat. "Louise," she whispers, scanning the area from behind the borrowed helmet. It smells strongly of sweat and old cologne. "Come on little kitty-cat. Where are you?" the bug princess calls, squeezing beneath an old table. A small meow sounds from behind the shelves opposite Agitha.

"I hear you," the girl whispers, changing the direction she's crawling in. The cat meows again, slightly louder. Agitha shoves aside some empty glass bottles in her way, still on the hunt for the cat.

"Louise... I almost found you," she says, looking behind a chair pressed against the wall. The cat meows again, but from behind Agitha.

"Got ya'!" she shouts, abruptly spinning herself around, and slamming her hands down on the first thing in sight. The cat squirms beneath the girl's fingers, meowing in protest. She holds the cat down with one hand, and strokes the snow white fur with the other. The feline eventually calms down, allowing the child to pet it without having to be restrained.

"You're a sweet cat, Louise," Agitha says, scratching it behind the ears.

"-Agitha is quite mature for-"

The bug princess' head perks up, drawing her attention away from Telma's pet. They're talking about her.

"-loves bugs, and seems to-"

The child releases the animal, and begins to scoot closer to the two, curious as to why they're talking about her. She removes the armor helmet, and sets it quietly next to her. She peers at Telma and the guard from behind a stack of hay.

"I love the poor dear, she has no family. I like to think of her as a daughter," Telma says, blinking at the guard. He nods, flattening his fire-red hair.

"She does seem to be a sweet girl," the guard agrees. He smacks his lips, possibly because he took a sip of his drink.

"Hopefully this attack won't get to her too bad," Telma snorts," she's pretty tough." Agitha rolls her eyes, and returns to standing on all fours. Louise has taken to her corner, snoozing peacefully in the dim light of the bar. Agitha sighs, pulls the helmet from the floor, and stands.

She floats over to the bar, and takes her seat," thanks for letting me play with your helmet, sir!" She hands the essential part of the armor back to the man. He takes it, and sets it on the stool beside him.

"Agitha, hon', you want another glass of milk?" Telma asks, already reaching for the bottle behind the counter. The child enthusiastically nods, swinging her legs excitedly beneath the seat.

"So what's it like to kill bad guys in the castle? Huh?" Agitha asks, a smile growing on her face. The guard blushes, obviously taken aback by her statement.

"You know," he hesitates, his eyes not able to stay focused on a single object," I've never really fought a bad guy. They haven't attacked, until today." Telma sets a fresh, ice cold glass of milk before Agitha.

"Well why don't you go kill 'em? I bet you'd have tons of fun! I mean, you _are_ a soldier, aren't you?" The bug princess says, laughing lightly.

"Yeah, I would, but I think I should stay here, to protect you and Telma," He explains, pushing his empty glass towards Telma. She takes the cup understandingly, and begins making another 'tea'. The woman begins her typical dance, jumping and twirling about behind the bar. Both Agitha and the guard watch her, lacking anything else to do.

"Thanks," the man says, taking the drink from Telma.

"No problem, hon'," she replies, with a wink. The guard snorts.

The three sit in silence, one enjoying his alcohol, one enjoying her milk, and the other just standing around.

* * *

_A/N_

_Chapter número uno, DONE! Haha that's right guys, I'm updating this story when I COULD be updating anything else! Anyways, I'm exited to see how far I can take this story before it becomes pure shit. Anyways, thanks for reading guys, and have a great day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	3. Makeup

Chapter Two: Makeup

* * *

"All's clear, the 'attack' was just a test. The princess, and other townsfolk are okay," the chubby guard announces, his head poking through the doorway. He snorts at the guard enjoying alcohol with Telma. The drunk guard looks over, and grins largely. Agitha snickers.

"I'm comin'..." He slurs, standing unsteadily from the barstool. He slams a hand roughly down on the side of the counter in an attempt to keep his balance. A drunken laugh escapes his throat, and he stumbles forward, head first into the chubby guard.

"Woah, watch it big fella'," he says, stopping the man before he knocks over anymore fellow soldiers," thanks for your cooperation." Telma gives a firm nod, and waves the group out. The door shuts with a slam, causing Agitha to jump slightly.

"They're quite the bunch, aren't they, huh, Agitha?" The bar owner says, laughing a hearty laugh. The child giggles in agreement, stroking Louise, the cat.

The small girl, dressed in red, stands, and returns to the bar, ready for another glass of non-alcoholic milk.

"So do you think it was actually a test?" Agitha asks, fingering the ridges carved into the bar. Her blue eyes focus themselves on the faded circles that have stained themselves on the wood. Telma slides the glass right beneath Agitha's stare.

"Of course it was, hon'. There's no need to worry, the princess was just testin' the troops. Gotta keep 'em in tip-top shape, ya' know?" She says, snorting. The bug princess nods, feeling slightly reassured.

"Louise is a nice cat," Agitha states absentmindedly, still examining the crevices in the bar. Her small golden ringlets of hair fall around her face. She hasn't even touched her milk yet. The small tiara perched atop her head begins to slide off, and Telma fixes it with a slight movement of the hand.

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

"I'm scared about the attack," Agitha says, resting her head on her crossed arms. The bar smells lightly of alcohol.

"There was no attack, hon'. Don't worry about it, okay?" The woman says, bending down behind the bar, to reach Agitha's height. She looks the child in the eyes.

"But what if they lied?"

"They wouldn't _lie_ about something like this, Agitha, dear."

"You promise?" The small princess asks.

"Promise," Telma says, giving the fear-filled child a comforting smile. Agitha nods, and forces a sip of milk down her throat. She's heard the rumors. The whispers. Someone was going to attack. It would be brutal. No one left, the kingdom gone, all to some man who'd never been even heard of. They don't even have a name for him, they say. They only refer to him as '_he_'. Even a ten year old can put the pieces together.

"I think I'm gonna go home now, Telma," the child says, fixing her hair. She removes the tiara, and tucks it in the picnic basket she uses as a makeshift purse.

"You sure? You haven't even finished your milk," the woman says, nudging the glass towards Agitha.

"I'm positive, Telma," she says, leaving the milk where the bar owner pushed it. Louise jumps down from the shelf somewhere in back of the room, and approaches the bug princess.

"I'm leaving, Louise, but I'll be back later. I promise," Agitha says, caressing the bright white fur of the animal. It purrs lovingly in response.

* * *

"Archibald! Skyla! I'm home! Did you destroy the castle?" She calls, a small smile playing on the lips of the girl. She drops her basket by the door, and bounds to the kitchen.

"George?" She asks, peering around the corner, her eyes catching on the jar her hyrulean beetle friend crawled out from behind, just that morning. "Where are you guys?"

Agitha places her tiara on the counter, and floats out to the main room, her eyes drifting up the tall figure of the tree. No bugs to be found.

"Archibald... You let everyone _escape_," she growls beneath her breath, moving for the ladder attached to the upper level of her home. She climbs up, looking over her shoulder to check for bugs down below her. None.

Her eyes begin to water, and she huffs angrily. The girl grits her teeth and resists the urge to punch something. Where had her _friends_ gone. The door was even _locked_.

Agitha sighs, running her hands through her tangled hair, forcing her fingers through when they got caught on a knot. She stomps over to her bed, and collapses on the sheets, not even bothering to turn the lights off.

"What the heck!" Her voice is shrill, even for a ten year old, as she yells into her pillow. Aggravated sobs quickly follow up the scream, and the bug princess grabs her hair. She pulls on it, and screams again into her pillow. Her makeup has migrated from her face to the fabric beneath, leaving permanent, and colorful stains. Agitha lifts her head to see the mess she's made, and a grunt is her reply.

"Where _are_ you guys?" She asks, rolling onto her back. She stares at the ceiling, attempting to keep her eyes open long enough, through all the tears, to make out the fine carvings in the wood. Hiccups occasionally escape from her.

The child's eyes drift over to her skylight, and the tree. They usually love it here. Why would they have left? Perhaps they went looking for her.

The princess suddenly feels filled with life. That's what they've done, gone looking for her. She jumps out of bed, and bolts down the stairs, ready to begin her hunt for the creatures.

* * *

"Water, lettuce, apples, pen, pencil, and... a map!" The child says, racing off into the depths of her storage boxes. She throws a few things behind her, and finally retrieves her map of the town. With a fair attempt at folding it neatly, it gets stuffed it into her picnic basket, with the other things she previously listed. She scoops up the makeshift purse, and strides to the door.

"Archi-" her voice falters, and she simply opens the door and exits without a word.

The streets are empty. Not a soul is out, not even that stray dog who loves to follow people. Agitha peers down the alleyways to her left and right, curious as to why everyone has suddenly left. Perhaps they're all inside? But there's always those few people who hang around at night.

Agitha quickly shrugs it off, perhaps they're just at the bar, or maybe out on a midnight picnic. Anywho, they'll be back soon.

The bug princess strolls past the fountain fixed in the center of the town square. Water bubbles out from the centerpiece, and pools near the bottom, creating a beautiful scene, even at night. The girl dips her hand in the water, and sighs.

The moon is bright. Usually it is obscured by the clouds, or simply not there, but today, it's out, loud and proud. Agitha looks at the thing, and blinks. It's perfect.

"Young lady!"

She jumps, and falls back onto the side of the fountain. A guard stands before her.

"Why are you out so late?! Don't you know Princess Zelda has a curfew set in place right now?!" He shouts, aiming his spear at the girl.

"I- I- I had no idea, s- sir. It w- won't happen again. I p- p- p- promise," Agitha stutters, on the verge of tears. The armored man before her does not move.

"Where is your _mother?_" he asks, gritting his teeth. The girl hiccups, tears beginning to slide over her cheeks. She blinks at the guard, and purses her lips.

"I want to speak to the princess," she says, gathering spit behind her lips. The temptation to fling her saliva at him is strong.

He flips up the metal covering her face, revealing heavily scarred cheeks, and a crooked nose," I'm afraid," his breath reeks of stale alcohol and death," that _won't, happen_."

Agitha grunts, and then releases the spit, allowing a small squeal of joy to escape her mouth when it collides with his face. The slimy liquid begins running over the thin stubble of the man's face, as he frowns.

"I would arrest you," he swipes away the spit, and flings it to the ground.

"And?" the small bug princess asks, she feels defiance beginning to flow through her. She places her hands on her hips, and stares at the guard. The tears previously rolling down her face have stopped.

"You're coming with _me_," he says, snatching the little girl's wrist. He closes his fist tight, and begins dragging her across the weathered cobble ground.

"Where are you _taking, me_?! Don't you know who I am?!" Agitha shouts, kicking her feet on the ground moving beneath her. She begins to move her hand in circles, attempting to wrench it free.

"You're a prissy little girl who shouldn't be so bratty," he mutters, squeezing her wrist tighter, his knuckles turning white.

"Ow! Don't you know that _hurts_?" She says, slapping him with her free hand. Her left shoe slides off of her foot, and is quickly left behind," hey! My shoe!"

"Quiet," is all the guard says. Agitha continues with her futile attempts at escaping.

"Where are you taking me?!"

"Home," he says, glancing up at the moon.

"I don't like you," she says, crossing her free arm over her chest, her other arm unable to accompany it, as it's clenched under the fingers of the guard.

"The feeling's mutual."

"What's 'mutual' mean?" Agitha asks, truly curious. She blinks up at the armored man.

"Shush."

The two continue forward in silence, the only sound being Agitha's one remaining shoe scraping across the ground. Occasional groans escape the aggravated girl's mouth, but nothing more. She knows what she's done, and has, to her great displeasure, accepted the consequences. Her eyes drift up to the sky above her, following the beams of moonlight filtering down through the spaces between buildings. It appears to be a full moon tonight, it's pale face accompanied by dozens of tiny stars.

"Isn't the moon pretty?" Agitha muses aloud, smiling. Her smudged golden lipstick sparkles in the dim moonlight.

"Didn't I tell you to be quiet?" The guard barks at her, his voice stern. The princess sticks her tongue out at the space behind her.

"Do you even _know_ where my house is?" Agitha asks, craning her neck to see the guard's helmet. He does not reply.

The two quickly reach a set of steps, which the girl is promptly dragged down. He takes her to the door, and knocks.

"Coming!" A woman shouts from inside. The sound of shattering glass, and dissatisfied grunts are muffled through the door.

All becomes silent, and then she opens the door," yes sir?"

"I have this... _thing_, for you to look after. Wouldn't tell me her parents, or her house," he says, raising Agitha by the wrist.

"Oh my, sweetheart! Let go of her!" The woman says, rushing into the child's field of vision. Telma gives a warm smile to the girl, and then snatches her wrist away from the guard.

"You can _leave_ now," Telma growls, glaring at the armored man. He simply nods, and marches off.

"Come inside, hon', and tell me what happened."

* * *

"Well I think all you need, is a glass of milk," Telma says, retrieving a bottle from beneath the bar. The other guests farther down from the girl look on with curious eyes. Telma shoves several glass shards off of the bar, and sets the bottle down with a dull thud.

"It's non-alcoholic, _goddesses_..." The bar owner says, rolling her eyes at them.

"Sorry for causing you trouble, Telma," Agitha apologizes. Her mascara-streaked face is adorned with a look of despair.

"Don't feel down, sweetie. Hah, just look!" She snorts," everyone's happy!" She makes a wild motion with her arms, and smiles wide," stop bein' so sad." The bar owner pours the milk, and slides the cup towards the girl. She sips from her glass, and smiles. Perhaps Telma's not angry, because there's customers around.

The plump woman glances over at the two people sitting at the end of the bar," I better go check in with those two. Looks like their drinks 'ave been done for awhile." Agitha nods in understanding, and brings the glass back to her lips. Her eyes are pulled to the people Telma's gone to help. They look weird. Strands of multicolored hair fly everywhere, and various flashy articles of jewelry hang haphazardly off of the two. Their eyes are CAKED with makeup, and not just mascara. Reds, oranges, purples, and blues are smudged over their eyelids, creating the illusion that a preschooler got hold of its mother's makeup box. Lipstick is wildly spread across their mouths, one wearing multiple shades of blue, the other wearing red. It's difficult to determine their genders through the trash obscuring their faces and bodies. They clearly took no time to look in a mirror.

"Give me another Hylian Blizzard, please," the blue lipped one says, it's voice an odd combination of raspy and sinister. It could be female, but there seems to be a male kind of quality to the sound.

"Ah yes, and get me a glass of..." the other person hesitates,"get me a glass of Gerudo Fire please," the red lipped one says, it's voice sharp and clear. It has a masculine quality to it, but keeps the femininity fluent, with slight flourishes at the end of words.

"Right away," Telma says, stepping back, close to the wall of liquor. She waits a moment, and begins her usual dance, spinning, jumping, and sliding about, grabbing twice as many bottles as usual. The bouncy woman places each of the bottles on the bar as she retrieves them, as to keep her arms open for more. The two strangers pay no attention to the craziness before them, and whisper to themselves instead.

Telma finally stops gathering the alcohol, and begins pouring the various substances into two separate glasses. One glass, slightly taller than the other, is home to a light blue mix of alcohol, while the other is filled with a dark red, translucent drink.

"Your drinks," Telma says, setting the glasses in front of the two. They stop whispering, and accept their drinks.

"Thank you," the red lipped guest says, quickly drinking their 'Gerudo Fire'. The other says nothing, and simply begins to swallow it's 'Hylian Blizzard'. Telma nods at them, and returns to Agitha.

"They're kinda weird," the bug princess states, sipping from her milk. The bar owner snorts.

"Nah, they're from some rich part of some other country. They're only visitin', for family, I think," she explains, a smile wide across her face.

"Are they girls or boys?" Agitha asks, her voice slightly too loud; the two glare over at her.

"Sweetheart," Telma says, leaning close to Agitha," they're girls." Girls, huh. Weird.

"I thought they were boys," she says. The two women shoot their growing anger at the child again.

"You should keep your voice down," Telma says, glancing nervously over at the two.

"Why? All I said was that they look like b-"

The bar owner claps a hand over Agitha's mouth," shush!" She looks at the guests again. Raising her voice, she looks down at Agitha," drink your milk now."

The girl nods, pushing Telma's hand away, and sips from her glass. The bar owner shuffles over to the two oddly dressed women.

"Sorry 'bout her," she laughs," you know how kids can be."

"Yeah," starts the red lipped woman," the last one we had sure was a rascal. Got into a lot of trouble, he did."

"Too bad he died," the blue lipped woman mutters under her breath, quickly taking another sip of her drink. The red lipped elbows her in the ribs. The bar owner doesn't catch the gesture.

"Anyways," the red lipped woman flips her hair," it's been nice getting to know you." Telma nods, distracted by the shards of glass around her feet. She pushes them beneath the lip of the bar. Out of sight, out of mind.

"Indeed it has," Telma agrees, giving them a smile. The red lipped one answers with a smile of her own, the blue lipped on does not acknowledge her though.

"Come on, Sis', we're leaving," the red lipped woman says to her apparent sister. The sister nods, and stands, paying no mind to Telma. As the two stride by, Agitha drops her eyes back to her milk, slightly intimidated by their height. They tower above Telma, their heads close to the top of the door frame.

The blue lipped one scampers out before the red lipped one, who waves as she shuts the a sight.

Telma sighs," gosh, those two were tougher to take care of than a horse covered in pumpkin juice." Agitha giggles, and pushes her empty cup towards the woman behind the bar.

"Now tell me again," Telma says, suddenly serious," why you were out so late."

Agitha's heartbeat quickens, and she can feel herself get red," I was... Well I was out looking for my bugs, they all disappeared on me. I walked into my house, and they were all gone. I thought maybe they escaped, and, and- and-" the child begins to sob.

"Sweetheart, it's okay. I'm sure they're around somewhere," Telma says, patting the girl's shoulder. Agitha wipes tears from her face, getting what mascara she had left, on her arm.

"Look, why don't you go home, and get some rest, hon'. Maybe they'll be back in the mornin'," the woman suggests, smiling warmly. Agitha nods, and jumps down from the barstool. Louise meows from somewhere in the bar.

"Good night, sweetie," she says, watching the girl leave.

* * *

_A/N_

_Wow, I uhh, wow. This chapter is long, like, Jesus, I didn't think I could write this much for one chapter! Anyways, now that I'm back from my short break, be expecting plenty of short stories and chapter updates! Okay, and btw, marching band starts next week for me, and with band camp and such, I won't post much, but after that, STORIES GALORE! Thanks guys, you're the best! Thanks for readin', too!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


	4. Sparks

Chapter 3: Sparks

* * *

Agitha had a restless night. Periodically, soft bumps outside and distant shouts would wake her. The moonlight filtering in through the ceiling would seep through her eyelids, and keep her awake, as if she were in a bright room. Occasionally a chilly gust of wind would blow through the house, and she'd be shaken awake, shivering.

Her eyes crack open to bright sunlight, a groan being her reaction. She rolls out of bed, allowing herself to fall face first onto the dusty wood paneling of her home's second floor. It smells lightly of stale bread.

The girl pulls herself up from the floor, and moseys over to the ladder leading downstairs. She slowly climbs down, a yawn escaping her mouth every few rungs of the ladder or so. She blinks lazily, and lowers herself off of the ladder.

"Archibald..." She calls, almost bumping into the tiny fence surrounding the tree growing in her house. Several leaves fall to the floor.

"Oh that's right," she mutters, slightly angry," he's _gone_."

Agitha drifts to the kitchen. Still half asleep, she grabs the first food in sight, an apple. The bug princess takes a bite out of the apple, slowly chewing it, and taking her time to swallow. The taste was good. Better than what she usually ate, oatmeal.

The child manages her way back upstairs quicker than her trek down. Dressing is quite important to a ten year old.

Agitha stands before her closet, thumbing through the various dresses. "No, that one is too sparkly. No, too blue," she mutters. The girl finally stops on a faded brown and green dress. She pulls it out, and holds it before her, caressing the fabric with her eyes. The subtle colors fit perfect with the intricate lace sewn onto the edges.

Agitha quickly switches from her night clothes into the dress she selected, and bounds over to the mirror, suddenly full of life. She takes a small brown bow, also embellished with lace, and fixes it in her hair. After adjusting the blonde curls hanging above her shoulders, she chooses just a necklace to wear. It's simple, with a small clear gem in the middle, probably fake diamond.

Agitha stands back and looks at herself in the mirror, satisfied with her outfit. She quickly applies her makeup, and rushes downstairs for her picnic basket.

"Hopefully the guard won't stop me during the _day_," she mutters, swiping the basket off the floor by the front door.

"Bye Skyl-" just as the day before, she silences, and leaves without another word.

* * *

"Where to go... where to go..." Agitha says to herself. She weaves in between groups of chatty teenagers and snobby adults. None seen to notice her presence.

"Perhaps I'll visit the Princess," she says, slightly happier. She's visited the princess before, and they had a delightful time. With tea and small pastries, the two discussed their greatly differing life styles, with the guards' supervision, of course.

She bounds across the square, lightly dodging people who are rushing about on some unknown task. Her eyes are bright with joy. This day's going better than yesterday, definitely.

As she skips up to the first set of large, wooden double doors, two guards stop her.

"Young lady," the first one says," where do you think _you're_ going?"

"To visit the Princess, of course," she announces with a smile and slight bounce. The other guard eyes the first, snorting softly.

"Little lady, don't you know the Princess is busy?" He asks, crouching down to Agitha's height. He raises the metal in front of his face, and meets the child's eyes.

"Don't you know not to go against what Agitha asks?" She retorts, pouting angrily. A temper tantrum is on the rise in the young girl. Give it a few more minutes, or seconds, and this _princess_ will be in full on rage mode.

"Don't you know it's rude to talk to your elders this way?" The guard asks, looking over his shoulder at the other man. They both share a short laugh.

"Don't you know it's _rude_ to deny me of what I ask?" Agitha replies, her face growing red with anger.

"Listen up, girl," he straightens to his normal height," you're not gonna get to see the princess no matter how much you insult me."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," he adds a sarcastic nod, beginning to grow fed up with this misfit of a child.

"You wanna know somethin', mister?" Agitha says, pulling the man back down by his hand.

A sickeningly sweet smile grows on his face, and he bats his eyelashes," what, my sweet little princess?"

Agitha gathers spit in her mouth, and after returning his sarcasm with a sarcasm-filled smile of her own, she launches the saliva into the man's face. He frowns, and wipes off the watery substance. His eyes are full of rage.

"Go home, you little _brat_," he says, wiping the girl's spit on a nearby wall. The other guard remains snickering in the background.

"Right away, my best friend _ever_," she says, smiling and batting her eyelashes as the guard did, as she skips away.

* * *

"They wouldn't let me see the Princess, Telma," the ten year old complains, gripping her glass of milk tighter than recommended.

"Well hon', maybe she's busy today."

"She's never been busy _before_," Agitha whines, pouting. She sips angrily from the glass.

"Well, perhaps she had," Telma takes an odd, slightly humorous stance of bending to one knee, and holding up a cup as if offering it," royal company."

The bug princess laughs, but quickly regains her previous mood," the guards haven't been the same since the attack the other day."

Telma stands, and returns to absentmindedly rubbing the cup's inside with a cloth," well, there isn't much I can say about that, sweetie. Maybe Zelda just ordered more protection, or tougher guards were hired."

"But, those are the same guards I've talked to dozens of times before," the girl insists," I could tell by the tiny scar on one's nose, where I bit him in anger a long time ago."

"Hon'," Telma gives Agitha a look that says '_seriously_'.

"It's not my fault he didn't like how I was sitting," the child says.

"Look sweetie, you ain't gonna get what you want by pitchin' a fit all the time," Telma says, pulling a stray strand of hair away from her eyes. Agitha sips from her glass of milk.

"Well, it's worked a bunch of times before, so there isn't any way I'm changing how I act," the girl states. The dull reflection in her eyes greatly differs from the defiant act she's putting up.

"Maybe you should go play with the street dogs, you have a lot of energy to burn off," Telma states, not noticing the sudden turn in the ten year old's emotions.

"Okay," Agitha halfheartedly agrees. Telma's statement about changing her way of acting kinda rubbed her the wrong way. "Actually, can I stay and play with Louise? I haven't spent much time with her recently."

"Sure, hon'," Telma agrees, gesturing in the direction of the cat. The white ball of fluff stands at the sound of her name, and swivels her ears around. Her tiny eyes focus on every moving object in sight, until they reach Agitha. With an excited meow, the pet bounds up to the girl, and rubs affectionately against her leg.

"I think I'll take her outside," the bug princess says, picking the cat up off of the floor. The girl shuffles to the door, and forces a smile to the plump woman behind the bar. The woman waves, and Agitha exits.

* * *

"You're so sweet, Louise," the girl says, running her hand over the cat's fur. The animal arches it's back as the child's hand moves over it. After repeating the motion twice more, the cat stalks off to the box-ridden corner of the bar's alleyway. The pet hops from crate to cardboard box to loose stone as if it were nothing.

"Gosh, should I really change how I'm acting?" Agitha muses aloud, looking at the sky above. Small wisps of clouds float by, streaking their lack of color across the deep blue canvas.

Louise meows, but the girl brushes it off as nothing. She remains in her statue-like position, pondering the day's happenings, and fretting over the loss of her precious roommates.

Louise meows again, and Agitha glances over to see what all the ruckus is. The cat has managed it's way to the top box, and is cowering back in the corner.

"Something wrong, Louise?" The bug princess asks, approaching the cat. It meows again, and looks at Agitha.

Suddenly, sparks erupt from the box beneath Telma's pet, and begin moving rapidly about.

"What the heck...?" The sparks light up again, and rush towards the wall. Oddly, when they should have stopped, they rush up the weathering stone, and disappear on top of the roof.

* * *

_A/N_

_CLIFFHANGERRRRRR. Yup, that's right guys, here's a huge-ass cliffhanger for you! Hehehehehe be expecting be to disappear for awhile, marching band starts in a few days... ANYWAYS- this chapter is poop. Short and like, totally unfinished. It was gonna be waaaaaaayyyyy longer, but I got a bit impatient and just finished it on a cliffhanger, but whatever. Thanks for reading you guys, and have a great day!_

_-Twilit Lady of Majesty_


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